A practical guide to buying carbon credits: sourcing quality credits, retiring them on a registry, avoiding double-counting, and making credible claims under the VCMI Claims Code.
Introduction
Buying carbon credits is easy. Buying them credibly — so the money does real good and the claim survives scrutiny — is harder. The market is full of cheap, low-quality credits and companies that bought them, then faced greenwashing accusations. This guide sets out how to buy, retire and claim credits the right way. It builds on our overview of what carbon credits are.
Step 1 — Reduce first, then quantify the residual
Credits are for the emissions you cannot yet eliminate. Before buying anything, measure your footprint (ISO 14064), set a reduction pathway, and identify the residual. Buying credits while ignoring your own emissions is the fastest route to a greenwashing accusation.
Step 2 — Set quality criteria and source
Decide what you will buy before where. High-integrity criteria:
- ICVCM CCP-labelled or Article 6.4 credits (the emerging quality bar);
- a credible project type (removal vs avoidance);
- a reputable registry (Verra, Gold Standard, etc.).
Then source through one of three channels:
| Channel | Best for |
|---|---|
| Direct from developer | Large volumes, traceability, co-benefits |
| Broker / retailer | Smaller volumes, convenience |
| Exchange | Standardised, price-transparent trading (e.g. RVCMC, ACX) |
Step 3 — Retire the credit
This is the step most people miss. Owning a credit is not offsetting — retiring it is. Retirement permanently cancels the credit on the registry in your name, with the vintage and reason recorded. Until you retire it, you have merely bought an asset; the climate claim is not yet valid.
The retirement record is the receipt. If a company claims to have offset its emissions but can’t show retired serial numbers on a registry, it hasn’t.
Step 4 — Make a defensible claim
Once retired, say only what you can defend. The VCMI Claims Code of Practice sets tiers of claim (Silver, Gold, Platinum) but requires foundational criteria first — a science-based target, transparent GHG reporting, and a credible transition plan. From 1 January 2026, VCMI requires the credits used to be CCP-approved or Article 6.4. Align your language with ISO 14068 and avoid unqualified “carbon neutral” claims that outrun the evidence — a live greenwashing risk.
How ESGweise helps
ESGweise helps GCC companies buy and use carbon credits credibly — setting quality criteria, sourcing CCP-aligned credits, managing retirement, and framing claims that hold up under the VCMI Claims Code. See our carbon and strategy practices.
References & sources
- VCMI — Claims Code of Practice (2025 update)
- ICVCM — Core Carbon Principles
- UNFCCC — Article 6.2 cooperative approaches
- Verra registry · Gold Standard registry
Conclusion
Buying carbon credits credibly is a four-step discipline: reduce first, set quality criteria and source, retire on the registry, and claim only what the VCMI Code supports. The retirement record is your proof; the CCP/Article 6.4 label is your quality signal; the corresponding adjustment is your defence against double-counting. Get those right and credits strengthen your climate strategy. Get them wrong and they become a liability.
Frequently asked questions
How do I buy carbon credits?
You can buy carbon credits directly from a project developer, through a broker or retailer, or on an exchange such as the Saudi RVCMC platform or ACX. Before buying, define your purpose, measure your footprint, and set quality criteria — ideally ICVCM CCP-labelled or Article 6.4 credits from a recognised registry. Then purchase the volume you need and ensure the credits are transferred to your account and retired in your name.
What does it mean to retire a carbon credit?
Retiring a credit is the act of permanently cancelling it on the registry so it can never be sold or used again. Retirement is what turns a credit you own into an offset you can claim — an unretired credit sitting in your account is just an asset, not a climate claim. The registry records the retirement with your name, the reason, and the vintage, creating a public, auditable trail.
How do I avoid double-counting carbon credits?
Double-counting happens when the same tonne is claimed by more than one party — for example, by both the company retiring the credit and the host country in its national inventory. Avoid it by retiring credits on a reputable registry (which prevents the same serial number being used twice) and, for internationally transferred credits, ensuring a 'corresponding adjustment' has been applied under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement so the host country does not also count the reduction.
What claims can I make after buying carbon credits?
Only claims your credits and your wider strategy support. Under the VCMI Claims Code of Practice, a company must first meet foundational criteria (a science-based target, transparent reporting, a credible transition plan) before making a 'Carbon Integrity' claim, and from 2026 the credits used must be CCP-approved or Article 6.4. Avoid blanket 'carbon neutral' claims that are not backed by genuine reductions and high-quality credits — regulators and the public increasingly treat those as greenwashing.